Howdy All! How do you figure out which tip top to use? I know they come by ring size and tube size. Do you want the ring size of the tip top to be the same size as the last guide? When repairing a broken tip then you would need a bigger tube size with the same ring size. I would sure appreciate some advice!
Thanks,
Micky

You have it right, if it's not possible you get as close as you can, if you don't have the line controlled by than you have other issues to address.

Mickey,
A tip top with the same size ring as the preceding runners is preferred, but not paramount; larger or smaller is not a big consequence. Assuming a defective tip top is removed without damage to the blank, the same size ring AND tube can be reinstalled. If the tip top of the blank was broken-off or initially installed with epoxy and not easily removable without damage to the blank, then obviously a possibly larger tube size would be required to fit the new, unaffected section of blank.

Mark Talmo
FISHING IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM LIFE BUT RATHER A DEEPER IMMERSION INTO IT!!! BUILDING YOUR OWN SIMPLY ENHANCES THE EXPERIENCE.

From an aesthetics standpoint, yes, having the same size ring on the tip top as the last guide closest to it, is the way to go. It's the way i always go anyhow. But ...... there could be times when having a larger ringed tip top could be of some benefit.

I live in northeast Ohio, and in the spring of the year we have about a 2 - 3 week period where we have a lot of that white fluffy stuff from Cottonwood trees, floating on the water's surface. That stuff clings to your line and clogs up a smaller tip top more quickly. A slightly larger ring on your tip top could help in a situation like that.

And as Spencer alluded to, having a slightly larger or smaller tip top isn't going to make a difference under normal circumstances.

I do a lot rods with micro guides down to 4mm and I will go 1/2 size larger on the the tip top. A 4mm guide train will have 4.5mm tip top to help pass the leader knot for braid to mono / floro. Helps a lot with spinning rods especially where it is harder to control how close you reel the leader knot to the tip. I will do it with other larger guide trains when I believe it will be an issue. The line wave is controlled already with the guide train so that small bit of difference in diameter is not going to affect the cast and it also does not affect retrieve. You really can't tell or see the size difference because of the difference in the frame from a tip top to a running guide. Yes I do it as a standard practice.

Just do it carefully and correctly and your rod will be perfect every time.